The invention relates to a wrist strap, in particular a watch strap, having a strap end link which is connected to a further component such that it can be pivoted about an axis transverse to the longitudinal extent of the wrist strap and which can be adjusted relative to the further component in the direction of the longitudinal extent of the wrist strap.
In the case of such a wrist strap, it is known for the strap end link to be connected to the further component via a telescoping element, namely a cover end link of a Z-like closure. In this case, in the closed state of the closure, the telescoping element is blocked such that there is no possibility of a change in length.
This design involves high outlay and requires that, before the closure is closed each time, it is ensured that the correct length of the telescoping element has been set.
The object of the invention is thus to provide a wrist strap of the type mentioned in the introduction which is of straightforward construction, is of a small overall size and avoids automatic adjustment of the length.
This object is achieved according to the invention in that the strap end link is articulated on a pivot element such that it can be pivoted about an adjustment axis which extends, approximately in the strap plane, transversely to the longitudinal extent of the wrist strap, said pivot element being connected to the further component such that it can be pivoted through approximately 180xc2x0 about a pivot axis which is parallel to the adjustment axis, it being the case that the pivot element can be arrested in its pivot end positions, and the adjustment axis and pivot axis are arranged one behind the other approximately along the longitudinal extent of the wrist strap.
Straightforward pivoting of the pivot element through 180xc2x0 achieves a change in length of twice the distance between the adjustment axis and pivot axis, which makes it possible for the pivot element, and thus the entire length-adjustment device, to be provided with a small overall size.
The further component may be either a closure part of a closure of the wrist strap or a strap connection element of a watch casing.
In order to ensure that the pivot element is not pivoted unintentionally, thus causing an undesired change in length, the pivot element can be arrested in its pivot end positions by a latching device.
For this purpose, in a straightforward formation, the pivot element has a latching element which is forced with resilient prestressing against the further component and, in the pivot end positions of the pivot element, can be latched into a latching recess of the further component.
The length-setting arrangement is both protected against damage and concealed when the wrist strap is worn if side parts of the further component grip around the axial end regions of the pivot element and the latching recess is formed in a side part, a latching element being supported resiliently on an axial end region of the pivot element and being forced against the side part, which has the latching recesses.
It goes without saying in this case that, for symmetrical loading, one latching element is arranged toward each side element.
A particularly straightforward construction with only a small number of components is achieved if the pivot element is approximately U-shaped and the strap end link projects into the opening of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d, the pivot axis being arranged in the region of the base of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d and the adjustment axis being arranged in the region of the free legs of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d.
If, in its region which projects into the opening of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d, the strap end link has a through-passage bore which is formed coaxially with continuous grid-arrangement bores in the free legs of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d, there being arranged in the grid-arrangement bores studs which project, by way of one end, into the through-passage bore of the strap end link and form the adjustment axis and are forced apart from one another by a prestressed compression spring, which is arranged in the through-passage bore, and are formed at their other end, which projects out of the grid-arrangement bore, as a latching head, then the studs have a double function and serve both as an adjustment axis, about which the strap end link can be pivoted, and as latching heads, in order to secure the pivot element in its pivot end positions.
In this case, use can be made of a single spring which has each of its two ends supported on a stud.
A combination of closure and length adjustment is achieved in a straightforward manner in that the closure part is a cover end link of a closure which can be collapsed in the manner of a Z and on which there is articulated a central link, on which there is articulated a base link, it being possible, in the collapsed state, for the cover end link to be connected to the base link by a latching connection.
For this purpose, the base link may have a catch support which, in the collapsed state of the Z-like closure, has the approximately U-shaped end of the cover end link, said end being directed away from the strap end link, gripping around its side regions, it being the case that projecting from a side region is a latching protuberance which can be moved into the catch support counter to a spring force and which can be latched into a latching depression on a leg of the U-shaped end of the cover end link.
The purposes of securing the closure and of providing symmetrical loading are also served here by the fact that a latching protuberance projects from each side region of the catch support, and each leg of the U-shaped end of the cover end link has a latching depression.
If the base link extends on both sides of the catch support, in the longitudinal direction of the strap, then the catch support may be part of a double-Z closure, of which each Z part may be provided with a length-adjustment device of the type described above.